Here’s a few news stories & links for today:

• Japan’s population started declining in 2005, but in contrast, registered foreigners soared to a record high 2.01 million, a leap from 1.36 million a decade ago and accounting for 1.57 percent of the nation’s total population.
• The nation’s biggest department stores reopened for business Tuesday by holding their traditional “fukubukuro” (lucky bag) sales to kick off the new year. The grab bags, packed with random items but priced at large discounts, are sold sealed and unlabeled.
• In an effort to aid research into Japan’s ancient history, the Imperial Household Agency has started to allow a range of academic organizations to visit Imperial tombs previously off-limits to the public. Though a number of restrictions will remain on such visits, it is hoped full-scale study of the tombs will help shed light on key events behind the foundation of the country.
• According to the Asia Times, Japan still has its eyes on permanent membership in the UN Security Council.
• A recent survey has revealed that Japanese people still prefer paper to digital when it comes to calendars.
• An international team of researchers from the U.S. and Japan reported Sunday that they had “knocked out” the gene responsible for making the proteins that cause mad cow disease.
• Fujiaqua Co., a bottler in central Japan, built a facility in 1998 to draw mineral water from a national park without obtaining a license required under the nation’s Natural Parks Law, according to a UPI report. Regional Japanese officials said in the story that the facility has been operating for the past eight years without the license, but did not specify whether the company will face any penalties.
• Yoshizawa Hitomi, the leader of the pop group Morning Musume, will “graduate” from the group on May 6th 2007. Fujimoto Miki will succeed the position of leader, and Takahashi Ai as sub-leader.
• Cherry Blossoms have begun to bloom in New York City. What the hell?
• The new Japanese teaser trailer for “Transformers” has been released, featuring extra clips not seen in American teasers. It also has Stephen Speiberg speaking Japanese!
• Japan and Russia are likely to consider settling their decades-old territorial row by dividing the disputed Kuril Islands off Hokkaido by land area rather than by number.
• U.S. Congressman Mike Honda (D-Calif.) plans to carry retired Rep. Lane Evans痴 (D-Ill.) torch, pressing to pass a resolution in the new Congress calling for Japan to formally acknowledge and accept responsibility for sexually enslaving women during World War II. The resolution, which is largely the result of intense lobbying activities from the Korean-American community, failed to reach the House floor last session.
• A 70-year-old woman who was attacked on a street in Osaka managed to foil her would-be robber by kicking him in the crotch. The woman told police that she used her right leg to administer the coup-de-grace as she has trouble moving her left leg.
• A crackdown on drunk driving helped reduce the traffic death toll last year to the lowest level in half a century, National Police Agency officials claim.